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This curriculum guide supports teachers to deliver an integrated unit of learning across curriculum areas, using the real-world context of Ngāti Waewae and their connection to pounamu.
The objective is to deepen understanding of the cultural, historical, and environmental significance of pounamu through the narratives, places, and practices of Ngāti Waewae, and to explore how tangata whenua express identity, connection, and kaitiakitanga through taonga like pounamu.
Key learning opportunities
Learning about pounamu is a deeply integrated experience that connects ākonga with the land, its history, and the people who have safeguarded it for generations. It is not just about understanding a type of stone – it is about exploring how a natural taonga becomes a symbol of identity, mana, connection, and guardianship.
Through pounamu, ākonga learn:
- Whakapapa and identity: Pounamu is embedded in pūrākau of iwi, linking people to place and to tūpuna. Learning about it fosters a stronger sense of connection to whenua and cultural identity.
- Kaitiakitanga in practice: The sustainable use, protection, and reverence of pounamu by mana whenua models environmental stewardship and intergenerational responsibility.
- Mātauranga Māori and western science: The journey of pounamu combines geological knowledge with mātauranga Māori, showing how indigenous science and western science can work together to tell a fuller story.
- Cultural expression: Pounamu is a medium for whakairo (carving), gifting, and ritual, and helps ākonga understand how art can preserve and convey meaning.
- Contested histories and rights: Learning about who has rights to access and work with pounamu introduces ākonga to important discussions around Te Tiriti o Waitangi, resource management, and cultural authority.
Learning areas and achievement objectives
Social Sciences & Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories
Focus strand: Tūrangawaewae me te kaitiakitanga – Place and environment
Achievement objectives:
- Understand how people view and use places differently.
- Understand how iwi and hapū have developed relationships with their environment and exercised kaitiakitanga over time.
- Understand the importance of taonga in expressing identity and preserving cultural knowledge.
Learning activities:
- Explore pūrākau from Ngāti Waewae that link their identity to pounamu.
- Analyse how kaitiakitanga is practised through pounamu extraction protocols.
- Investigate the cultural significance of Te Arahura awa and how Ngāti Waewae safeguard it.
Science
Strands: Planet Earth and Beyond, Nature of science
Achievement objectives:
- Investigate the formation and characteristics of geological materials.
- Describe how natural features influence human activity and cultural practice.
Learning activities:
- Explore the geological formation of pounamu through maps and rock samples.
- Compare scientific knowledge with pūrākau.
- Examine the location of pounamu deposits and their cultural relevance.
English: Phase 2 (Years 4–6)
- Understand: The stories of Aotearoa New Zealand are unique and special | He taonga tuku iho ahurei ngā pūrākau o Aotearoa, nō konei taketake.
- Know: Features and structures of language | Ngā āhuatanga reo. Students know some local stories that provide insights into their rohe and community. They also know some stories from Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.
- Do: Comprehending and creating texts | Te whakamahi rautaki ki te whai māramatanga.
Learning activities:
- Read and interpret pūrākau about pounamu and related iwi narratives.
- Write a reflective piece or persuasive article about the importance of taonga.
- Present a spoken or digital retelling of the pounamu origin story.
The Arts
Strand: Visual arts
Achievement objective:
- Develop and revisit visual ideas in response to observation, imagination, and cultural inspiration.
Learning activities:
- Create a pounamu-inspired carving or wearable taonga using classroom-safe materials.
- Explore the symbolism of whakairo and its connection to identity and story.
- Display artworks accompanied by artist statements explaining cultural meaning.
Technology
Strands: Technological knowledge, Nature of technology
Achievement objectives:
- Understand how materials are used and adapted for cultural purposes.
- Explore how cultural and environmental factors influence technological practice.
Learning activities:
- Investigate traditional tools and techniques used in pounamu carving.
- Compare historical and modern approaches to pounamu extraction and usage.
- Design a tool, object, or digital prototype that reflects the properties and values of pounamu.
Resources and links
Waewae Pounamu
The website of this hapū-owned business that ethically sources, carves and sells 100% authentic pounamu carvings.
Ngāi Tahu Pounamu
As well as items to buy, there is also information about pounamu guardianship and the pounamu origin narrative.
Opening of the Arahura Marae | YouTube
A video showing some of the construction, opening and significance of the Arahura Marae, and its connection to Ngāti Waewae.
Te Reo o te Māori 1973 | Ngā Taonga
An origin story about pounamu, in te reo Māori.
